The Long Race

I can run a 5K race, but I don’t enjoy it. The pace is fast and short, which suits other runners more than me. I could run a 10K with preparation. I also don’t love it because the pace is also fast.

My sweet spot, if I’m prepared, is the half-marathon. It’s long enough for a slow, steady pace, and yet short enough that it doesn’t require more training than I’m prepared to take on.

A full marathon is something altogether different. In terms of preparation, a full marathon is much more than double a half-marathon. Training plans are generally lengthy. The weekly mileage is more. The mindset and mental preparation are different. You need different strategies for fueling, hydration, recovery, and rest. Marathon speed work targets running economy, fatigue resistance, and the ability to maintain race pace for extended periods.

Don’t get me started on ultra-marathons!

You prepare differently for each one of these races. If you’re going to run a marathon, you have to prepare differently from running shorter races.

I’ve noticed a lot being written these days about maximizing for short races. Lifestyle influencers and online gurus offer tips for how to win at life. I’ve noticed that many of them are young and have few commitments. They’re not focused on the kinds of things that make for a life well lived. They’re focused on reaching the kinds of goals you want to reach in the first half of your life. These tips are fine for reaching short-term goals, but we need something more.

We need to learn from people who’ve run the long game. I want to learn from those who have learned to run the longer race with endurance and who are still running well in their later years. They probably won’t be running at the same pace as those who are focused on shorter races, but that’s fine. I want to learn how to find a sustainable pace that I can keep for a long time.

The problem is that the short game influencers are everywhere. They’re often the ones producing videos and courses. They’re on social media. Often, they’re not shy about self-promotion.

Those who run the long game don’t seem to push themselves in the same way. You have to seek them out. They’re not as flashy. They’re impressive, but only after you look below the surface. I am impressed by those who love their spouse after 50 years of marriage, and by those who continue to grow in love and holiness despite living in a broken world. The people we need to learn from most probably won’t come screaming at us for attention. Instead, we have to seek them out and learn.

Don’t be fooled. Don’t fall for the marketing techniques of those who only want to help you win the short race. Short races are fine, but we need something more important. We need to learn to run the longer race. Look for those who’ve been running well for decades. Seek them out. Ask them questions. Learn from their wisdom. Pray that you will be able to follow their example and run the long race too.